Shloka 3
धर्मार्थकुशलो राजा धर्मशास्त्रविशारद: । पृच्छामि त्वां कुरुश्रेष्ठ तन्मे व्याख्यातुमहसि,भरतभूषण! अत: अब मैं उस श्रेष्ठ बुद्धिके विषयमें आपसे सुनना चाहता हूँ, जिसका आश्रय लेनेसे धर्म और अर्थमें कुशल तथा धर्मशास्त्रविशारद राजा शत्रुओं-द्वारा घिरा रहनेपर भी मोहमें नहीं पड़ता। कुरुश्रेष्ठ। उसी बुद्धिके विषयमें मैं आपसे प्रश्न करता हूँ; अतः आप मेरे लिये उसकी व्याख्या करें
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: dharmārthakuśalo rājā dharmaśāstraviśāradaḥ | pṛcchāmi tvāṃ kuruśreṣṭha tan me vyākhyātum arhasi, bharatabhūṣaṇa |
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O best of the Kurus, ornament of the Bharata line— I ask you: please explain to me that (kind of) understanding by relying on which a king, skilled in dharma and artha and well-versed in the treatises on dharma, does not fall into delusion even when surrounded by enemies.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira frames ideal kingship as grounded in a specific kind of buddhi (discriminative understanding): mastery of dharma and artha, supported by dharmaśāstra learning, that prevents moha (delusion) even under hostile pressure.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction setting, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions an elder/teacher addressed as ‘best of the Kurus’ and ‘ornament of the Bharatas,’ requesting an explanation of the wisdom that keeps a righteous, competent king steady when surrounded by enemies.